The Hindu : 'Alarming decline in T.N.'

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Saturday, Feb 01, 2003

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'Alarming decline in T.N.'

By Our Special Correspondent

New Delhi Jan. 31. The decline in the juvenile sex ratio in several districts of Tamil Nadu brought out by the 2001 Census "is a cause of great concern", according to the Registrar-General and Census Commissioner of India, J.K. Banthia.

While Punjab and Haryana showed the "worst" fall in the sex ratio up to six years of age, the "alarm bells have begun to toll" for Tamil Nadu as well, Dr. Banthia said.

In an interaction with the media at a workshop on female foeticide here, he said Tamil Nadu's juvenile sex ratio, which was 948 girls per 1,000 boys a decade ago, had dropped to 939 in 2001.

The 1991 Census held out just one "black spot" — Salem district — where less than 850 girls were born per 1,000 male children population. But 10 years later, not only had Salem slipped further, Dharmapuri, Namakkal and Theni districts joined the "black-listed" category. Besides, as many as 22 districts had recorded a downturn in the juvenile sex ratio.

In Salem, the State's female infanticide capital, the sex ratio had tumbled from 849 in 1991 to 826.3 in 2001. The backward Dharmapuri district had registered a significant drop from 905 in 1991 to 877.6 in 2001. Theni and Namakkal too were not too far behind with ratios of 893.3 and 895.5. "The Census shows alarming signs. It is for the Government to take action to arrest the trend," Dr. Banthia said.

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